Author: Mikkke Pignard, Web3
TL;DR
Parallel EVM is very popular, and more and more projects are adopting related technical updates
What are the potential changes brought by parallel infrastructure, and the lack of concrete application manifestations
Through Artela, whose developer ecosystem has been relatively active recently, let's take a look at the potential applications depicted by its EVM++ technology
Parallelization is a means, not an end, aimed at providing a large-scale application operating environment for dApp
DeFi under EVM++: Accelerating DeFi's runtime security and RWA applications
Inventory of innovations in new applications such as full-chain games and AI coprocessors under EVM++
What updates can parallel execution bring to infrastructure?
Parallel execution (parallel EVM) has become a key development technology for infrastructure. Many projects hope to improve performance through parallelization to leverage new crypto applications, including Monad, Artela, MegaETH, Sei, etc. Starknet is also introducing parallel execution recently.However, what are the potential changes brought by parallel infrastructure? There is a lack of concrete application manifestations, and overall it is still on the way to fulfillment.
This article will explore the potential applications of its EVM++ technology by analyzing the Artela ecosystem, which has been extremely popular in the developer ecosystem recently. Developer community drive is the main path for Artela to promote technological innovation. At present, more than 800 active developers have participated in Artela's ecological BUIDL, contributing more than 300 innovative use cases of Aspect native extensions and more than 130 ecological projects. It has also spawned supporting tools for EVM++, such as Aspect browser, Aspect IDE and Aspect Hardhat plug-in, all independently developed and maintained by community developers.
Parallelization is a means, not an end
Quote Reforge Research's explanation of parallel EVM: Parallelization is a means, not an end.
The architectural idea behind parallel execution is to provide a large-scale application operating environment for dApp. Parallel EVM represents an improvement in the execution efficiency of EVM. Projects such as Monad and MegaETH mainly focus on this aspect. Another school of thought is to promote EVM compatibility while also further breaking through the limitations of pure EVM through dual VM technology. Artela, Arbitrum Stylus, and Sei V2 all adopt this design.
Artela aims to provide high performance and high scalability for dApps through a dual virtual machine architecture that extends parallel EVM and WASM. This two-pronged solution is EVM++. The technical vision that Artela conveys through the developer community is to create a new decentralized application operating environment and accelerate the integration of innovative technology scenarios such as Security DeFi, AI, AW/FOCG (Autonomous World/Full Chain Game) in the crypto world.
DeFi under EVM++: Accelerating DeFi Runtime Security and RWA
DeFi is the most active application type in crypto. With the progress of BTC ETF and many mainstream banks and financial institutions in RWA, DeFi is gradually approaching mainstream finance. However, the experience and security issues of DeFi need to be improved urgently. In the past year, well-known DeFi protocols such as Curve and KyberSwap have been attacked one after another, breaking the last line of defense of the "naked" DeFi protocol. How does EVM++ perform in this regard?
EVM++'s important construction partners in the DeFi direction include Web3 user security technology provider GoPlus and Web3 security company ZAN with traditional financial technology background. They jointly explore on-chain security, runtime risk control, user security and deep integration of underlying protocols, and cooperate in user education, security ecology and product integration.
The anti-Rug function designed for the AMM protocol in cooperation with GoPlus can automatically identify attacks from malicious liquidity pools and protect the funds of traders and liquidity providers. In the test network security education activities jointly organized by the two parties, more than 300,000 users participated in the experience.
Based on EVM++, ZAN's KYT Aspect provides a Fintech-level on-chain DeFi security solution. KYT (Know Your Transaction) Aspect provides dApp with on-chain real-time transaction security analysis capabilities. Through on-chain extensions, it detects in real time whether the transaction calling the contract involves flash loan attacks, arbitrage, and money laundering. By integrating this Aspect, DeFi protocols can customize their security risk control strategies like Fintech services to enhance the security and compliance of protocol funds.
This project was built by members of the ZAN team at Ant Digital Technology, seamlessly integrating Fintech-level security technology into the Artela network, clearly demonstrating the feasibility of achieving high-level on-chain security functions through Aspect, and highlighting the effectiveness of EVM++ in solving DeFi security issues.
ArtexSwap is the first AMM protocol based on EVM++, which achieves high security and liquidity protection for transactions. Its anti-rug pull aspect, blacklist aspect and anti-slip point aspect provide strong technical guarantees for token supply monitoring, transaction activity interception and real-time monitoring of liquidity pools.
Full-chain game innovation under EVM++
Full-chain games and Crypto AI are the directions that have attracted many developers in the past year. As the "rising stars" of crypto, they naturally have higher performance and scalability requirements for the blockchain execution environment.
Artela and Blade Games and Cellula, pioneers of full-chain games, continue to explore the potential of EVM++ in games. In terms of games, EVM++ mainly provides the value of on-chain "coprocessors" (the coprocessor in traditional computers is represented by GPU): high-performance execution environment and flexible interoperability.
Unlock full-chain NPC: Artela and Blade Games built a version with "on-chain NPC" based on their Royale game. Through EVM++, a full-chain NPC was added to the full-chain game on Artela. Players can register their accounts as automated NPC players and automatically participate in battles with other real players according to the algorithm!
Unlock "AI participation in the game": Cellula has an interesting BUIDLs on EVM++, using EVM++ as an on-chain coprocessor to implement a full-chain version of the "Pac-Man" game. It implements the AI-agent algorithm on EVM++, allowing players and ghosts to fight automatically on the chain. It transplants the AI agent combat module originally implemented in the off-chain Java system to Aspect, while maintaining high playability. One on-chain transaction can execute more than 1,000 rounds of AI pathfinding decisions. It provides conditions for AI agents and asynchronous PvP games to run on the chain!
EVM++ and AI Coprocessor
Artela and Phala announced a strategic partnership to build a native extension layer that supports AI based on EVM++, making on-chain smart dApps possible.
Phala is exploring the construction of a trustless AI coprocessor layer in the Artela network. The solution includes implementing AI algorithms on the chain through EVM++ and an off-chain TEE-based AIcoprocessor layer. The functions of the popular large language models (LLMs) and Web3 data layer can be introduced to the blockchain protocol, enabling dApps built on EVM++ to achieve more dynamic and intelligent interactions.
Developer innovation continues
In the past quarter, Artela successfully introduced more than 2,100 Web2 developers to the Web3 field through the Web3 developer learning program. They contributed 2,818 submissions and 1,319 PRs to the course projects. These new developers not only quickly mastered the Aspect native extension, but also created more than 100 innovative use cases in the EVM++ advanced learning course. These use cases cover a wide range of applications from DeFi security to full-chain games, showing Artela's great potential in lowering the threshold for EVM development and stimulating developer creativity.
In Artela's Aspect Hub, all innovative Aspect use cases are contributed by the community, and some of the most innovative on-chain use cases are eye-catching. For example, Throttle Aspect shows how to introduce current limiting technology in traditional trading systems into smart contracts to help decentralized protocols resist witch attacks and unfair behavior. KYT Aspect provides real-time transaction security analysis on the chain, effectively defending against flash loan attacks, arbitrage and money laundering activities, and demonstrating the power of EVM++ in the field of DeFi security. LinkLearner uses off-chain model training and on-chain weight aggregation through Aspect to implement a decentralized AI model training platform where model parameters can be automatically adjusted on the chain.
To further support developers' innovation, multiple open source communities such as LXDAO and BuidlerDAO have contributed a wealth of EVM++ supporting tools. These tools include the Artela Scan block browser, which provides support functions specifically for Aspect, making on-chain data more intuitive and easy to understand; the Artela Aspect Hardhat plug-in, which greatly simplifies the development process of Aspect; and the Solide Aspect IDE, which provides developers with a one-stop development platform to help Aspect innovation and sharing. In addition, Aspect Marketplace provides developers with a decentralized platform that allows them to freely manage, rent, buy and sell Aspect.
Conclusion
The Web3 industry is undergoing a period of adjustment and transition. New infrastructure represented by parallel EVM is still continuing to improve EVM infrastructure, and active developers represented by Artela Eco BUIDLs are still actively exploring technological innovation. It is worth looking forward to whether the new generation of infrastructure with a solid ecological foundation, high performance and high scalability can work with creative developers to create the next stop of crypto!